Following my appointment as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office, I was pleased to answer questions at the first Cabinet Office Questions under the new Government.
I responded to important questions under my new brief, including strengthening our national resilience, learning the lessons for the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing ourselves for tragedies like the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.
Additionally, I confirmed that the Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, will chair a Cabinet committee on resilience to review our preparedness against the range of risks the UK faces. You can find out more about this work here.
If you want to watch these Cabinet Office Questions then follow the link here, or if you would prefer to read the transcript, then follow the link here.
Social Media Post on 26th July 2024:
At Cabinet Office Questions, I outlined this Government's commitment to strengthening our national resilience, and how lessons will be learned from COVID-19 and tragedies such as Grenfell.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abena-sworn-in-as-MP.png5711017Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2024-07-11 09:11:302024-07-15 09:58:31Abena sworn in as MP for Erith and Thamesmead
I am honoured and grateful for your trust and support by re-electing me as your Member of Parliament. Serving as your representative in the House of Commons is a privilege I do not take lightly, and I am committed to continuing to work tirelessly on your behalf.
Our constituency is unique, with a rich history and a dynamic demographic profile. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you who participated in the electoral process. Your engagement and commitment to our community are what make Erith and Thamesmead a wonderful place to live and work.
As your MP, I will continue to advocate for the issues that matter most to you, from getting hospital and GP waiting lists down, to building a neighbourhood health service, employing additional mental health staff, improving maternity services and, campaigning for better housing to ensuring that our community remains a safe and inclusive place for all. I will also continue to advocate for better transport links for Erith and Thamesmead ensuring that our community is well-connected and well-served.
I am dedicated to addressing the challenges we face and seizing the opportunities that lie ahead. I look forward to another term full of opportunities and possibilities to serve you and put my best foot forward.
Thank you once again for your trust and support. Together, we can build a brighter future for Erith and Thamesmead.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/DSC_1182.jpg7161200Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2024-07-05 18:44:002024-07-15 13:52:09Abena thanks constituents following re-election as MP for Erith and Thamesmead
On Wednesday 14th June, I had the pleasure of meeting Year 6 students from St. Fidelis Primary School. They visited the Houses of Parliament for a tour and to learn more about how our democracy functions.
I enjoyed being challenged by their tough questions on some of the important issues we face today. A special thanks also to the teachers at St. Fidelis for organising this visit.
You can see my social media post from the event below and here.
As the Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead, I send my congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla for their successful Coronation this month.
It was great to see so many people get involved from across the community, including with street parties and events to celebrate this historic occasion. I was grateful to join a reception for the King and Queen before their Coronation and meet with so many people doing important work across the United Kingdom.
I hope everyone in Erith and Thamesmead and across the country had a great Coronation weekend with family and friends.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TELEMMGLPICT000334920363_1_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqz2lyrl4QQ-xkdZNot2ARJDXaG_3FkRG2WH2SGzlVXbs.webp425680Calum Pincheshttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngCalum Pinches2023-05-06 11:29:002024-07-12 15:32:18Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
It was great to host another of my “Meet your MP” Coffee Mornings this month at the Bookstore Café at the Exchange Erith.
The conversation we had was very valuable to me and I want to thank all of you who came along. It’s so important to spend the time to engage about the many pressing issues we have and also the great opportunities available in Erith and Thamesmead.
A number of issues were raised including how we can provide more opportunities for young people to play football, and what we can do to tackle youth violence. We also discussed the Cost of Living crisis, that is hurting so many, and how we need to work as a community to make sure the most vulnerable are not left behind.
I was very impressed with how passionate everyone was and I’m looking forward to catching up again with everyone who turned up. I hope you can share the following link with friends and family, who may be interested to sign up to a future event.
I was very pleased to join the Ukrainian community and a number of constituents from Erith and Thamesmead at this celebration event this month.
Last month, we all paused to reflect on the one-year anniversary of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. While the illegal war started by Russia continues, I want all the Ukrainians who have settled in our area to know that our support for you and all of the Ukrainian people remains.
It was a great event with great music, dancing, performances and beautiful artwork on display from across the community.
Last week I attended the ‘How can we reach equal representation of women in Parliament by 2028?’ event hosted by Centenary Action Group (CAG).
CAG is a coalition bringing together organisations from across the women’s sector to enable collaboration, joint action and campaigning to eradicate the barriers that prevent women, in all their diversity, from taking part in politics and to improve women’s political participation in the UK.
This event enabled a cross-party discussion about the way forward and the sharing of ideas and experiences to ensure the next election does not see a slippage of female candidates. I spoke about Labour Women Network’s Selections For This Millennium campaign, the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme and the Labour Women Network’s Political School. Labour has upskilled and encouraged almost 400 women in the last 12 months.
It was lovely meeting women from across different sectors who are looking to stand for election in the coming years.
It was lovely to meet participants of the Pathway To Success Leadership Programme at the House of Commons earlier this month.
The Pathway to Success Leadership Programme is a 5-day residential programme at the University of Oxford organised by Operation Black Vote (OBV) in partnership with the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and Magdalen College, and the House of Commons to nurture the country’s future Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic leaders.
I really enjoyed hearing about the stories and aspirations of the participants and how they are involved in civic society and business. Visit OBV’s website for more details of their work.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/pathway-picture.jpg437655Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2022-09-27 09:50:122023-02-26 16:55:41Pathway to Success 2022 at the House of Commons
I sat down with Hend Kheiralla, host of the Ladies of the Lakes radio show, to discuss my journey into politics, getting started as a new MP after my election in 2019, my experience representing Erith and Thamesmead so far, and advice for those interested in politics. I also spoke about the importance of allyship, networks and mentorship.
Abena said:
I think female representation is important in Parliament as well as diversity… because I think it is important to have people from all walks of life.
Ladies of the Lakes is a series of interviews exploring stories of women who grew up and lived in Thamesmead.
